Elaine A. Ostrander

Dr. Ostrander is Chief and Distinguished Senior Investigator of the Cancer Genetics and Comparative Genomics Branch at the National Human Genome Research Institute of NIH, and Head of the Section on Comparative Genetics. Her laboratory studies the canine genome and its utility as a system for informing human health and biology. She received her Ph.D. from Oregon Health Sciences University and did postdoctoral training at Harvard and U.C. Berkeley.

Dr. Ostrander has published over 400 research papers and reviews, and won several awards including the Asa Mays Award, 2013 Genetics Society of America Medal and the 2023 Edward Novitski Prize. In 2020 she was named the National Human Genome Research Institute Mentor of the Year. She was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 2019.

The domestication of dogs from wolves is, arguably, the most successful scientific experiment undertaken in human history. Earth is populated with millions of dogs representing 350 breeds, village dogs, feral dogs and mixed breed dogs. Key to understanding canine variation is the study of modern and ancient genomes sampled from dogs around the world. Dr. Ostrander's studies encompass evolution, genomics and genetics, as she seeks to understand how dog breeds have been shaped by humans, why some breeds are prone to specific diseases, and what accounts for the striking differences in appearance and behavior observed between breeds. Her current work focuses on the identification of cancer susceptibility genes in dogs, the role of genetic variants in canine behaviors, the origins of dog breeds, and analysis of isolated populations.